THE STATE STEPS IN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1928, Page 3

THE STATE STEPS IN

TAPS OVER BROADCASTING

Nfiyf AUSTRALIAN SCJHJE»J«

PROGRAMMES BY CONTRACT

With quite dramatic suddenness Australia lias sprung a new "system of broadcasting control upon the- world. For some time dissatisfaction has existed in various parts of the Commonwealth with the services rendered by broadcasting companies, who had been granted special Tights and privileges. A Royal Commission investigated .matters, and brought down a long series [pi .recommendations. -These the Federal Government ht\S seemingly considered insufficient, for in its scheme, announced in Sydney recently, it has proceeded much further tlian the commission recommended. Briefly, it has decided that broadcasting is of sufficient importance to'bo nationalised, " though its scheme of nationalisation does not go as i'ar as did that of the British Government, when it took over the British Broadcasting Company, lock, stock and barrel. Australia intends to purchase all the "A" class stations —that is, the Commonwealth equivalents to .our "YA's"—and to control thqir staffing and their operation. It has baulked at tho question of providing programmesfor I hem," and will invito tenders for the supply of programmes in all of the States. AN ALL-AUSTRALIAN SCHEME > This will create a uniqup, situation, for it has- no parallel in any broadcasting servico, in the' world (states, the. Auckland "Star"). Oh a larger scale it aims at a' policy which has been announced as that of the New Zealand Broadcasting Company—that' of pooling revenue from radio receiving licenses and :allotting it, on' a' basis that will givp programmes of, the. same calibre from .-ill of the stations in' "tlie State capitals. Previously 3LO, Melbourne, hart a, revenue of about £I$),00O per a'mium, while"transmitting stations' in Perth and Hob'art had riot 5 per cent, of this sum. Nov> all are to be put tra the same footing as far as quality of entertainment is concerned. New Zealand stations are supposed to be on this footing, though ■listener's in Auckland and Dunedin doubt the contention. The Commonwealth Government,. in letting its radio programme contracts, is encouraging initiative on the part of tenderers by offering them a percentage of the license revenue. Thus, the better the fai'e provided, the greater will be the, patronage assured, and, as a con-sequence,'.the-greater' will be the finan- ; ciaL benefit derived by the successful tenderers.' The idea is.a novel one, and its working will be watched with interlesfc far beyond Australia. To safeguard 1 istehers," the 'Commonwealth P.M.G. is to be authorised to withhold portion of the revenue payable to the programme [contractors should they not maintain a satisfactory standard of entertainment, or he may even 'cancel' their] contract [altogether; There'is also provision that the mechanical side of broadcasting may be carried * put ,by organisations under, contract with fhe Government, or. the; stations' .may be "leased to the programme contractor. The stations themselves, however, will BV the property of the Commonwealth, and .not, as they ?re in New Zealqnd, assets of a private /company. '"

PRIME MINISTER'S VIEWS \ •■■-, In discussing the new scheme, Mi Bruce, the Australian Prime Minister, said that the*' Government felt there, was a danger, if the.system recommended by the Royal Commission were adopted, that"a.'monopolistic interest' would be created Villi" regard to hroadcasting in Australia, under 'which, interest the public might suffer. \ Accordingly the Government .had decided to place {he arrangements .wijh regard to. broadcasting upon an entirely new basis, which coffte'mplales iEat'the'Staf© shall" be the owner of the plant, equipment and mechanical means of broadcastingin all ''A" * stations 'and relay stations. -The' extension' of the relay system;'combined vvith" uniform control, should make "it possible for. all listeners throughout the Commonwealth to enjoy the same programmes if they so desircjd. It would thus expand the range of entertainment and general news, services, and tend to increase greatly the number of licenses taken out. AN ADVISORY BOARD In New Zealand there has long been an agitation for an .advisory committee to co-operate in broadcasting. Such a committee for the working of the new Australian scheme has already been set up, its personnel being announced at the same time as the scheme was made public. It is made clear that no new' Department of State will be created to handle broadcasting, which will be, as before, under the control of the Postal Department. In connection with the Australian "B" class stations, which correspond, to our "Z" stations in the Dominion,"'no alterations are at present contemplated, for these broadcasters do not receive financial support from license fees. The Government estimates that after the cost of running the different plants and supplying programmes is met, there will bo a surplus of revenue! which will be devoted to the encouragement of radio research work and the provision of further extensions of service. Briefly, it contemplates the expenditure of all revenue for the ultimate benefit of the listener, instead of allowing, as is the case in at least one Australian station, a monopoly to secure astounding profits at the public expense.